Guwahati, Sep.17 (ANI): Former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta visited the disputed territories in Dhubri district on Friday to assess the situation after there was a recent agreement to hand over Indian land to Bangladesh.
During the recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka, a deal was inked under which New Delhi had agreed to transfer 600 acres of Assam's land to bordering Bangladesh. This was done to settle the long pending boundary dispute with Dhaka.
The agreement had affirmed that the India would hand over 600 acres of land, presently in Dhubri and Hailakandi regions of Assam to Bangladesh.
Mahanta suggested that the land deal must be scrapped.
"We exchange our views with the local people here, who oppose the transfer of the Assam land, this land of India to Bangladesh, because this land has not been a disputed land before. Only in 1967, Bangladesh, erstwhile Pakistan claimed over it," said Mahanta.
He also said that he and his party opposed the Indo-Bangladesh land swap deal and urged Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and Assam Chief minister, Tarun Gogoi to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the state.
"That area is an agricultural land and our people cultivate there. Now, after the agreement of Bangladesh, this land is going to be transferred to Bangladesh and therefore, all the local people, they oppose it. From our side also, our party also opposes it and we also oppose the transfer of land to Bangladesh because this is the duty of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Assam to keep guard at the international border and to protect the sovereignty and integrity of our country," added Mahanta. (ANI)
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